Chapter 12

"Shh, Charlotte. Please got to sleep," Emma was trying frantically to coax her newborn daughter into peacefully submission.

It had be three weeks sin they brought her home from the hospital. It had been two weeks and four days since they had buried her grandmother. Needles to say, life had been quite hectic since that day. Spinner was so distant and proceeded to throw himself into work. Emma was so afraid to upset him and unsure of how to ask for more help with Charlotte. She knew he would eventually come around, but she did not want him to regret missing the first weeks of his daughter's life.

"Give him some time, sweetheart, he will heal. It is probably difficult for him to look at Charlotte and to not think about the hope she brought for Irene's recovery," Spike said to try and console her daughter.

"You don't think he is going to resent Charlotte, do you?"

"No," Spike answered, "Who would blame that poor innocent child? It was not her fault that Irene suddenly had a hear complication after her transplant. Spinner knows that. I think it is just hard for him to be excited about the baby when he misses his mom so much."

"Spinner, man, what are you still doing here?" Peter asked as he entered the store room.

"I am just trying to finish these cycle counts."

"You need to get home to that baby, man. I am sure Emma would appreciate some time to herself. She has been with Charlotte by herself all day."

"Yeah, I know. I feel so guilty that I have been spending all my time her instead of helping Em with Charlotte. It is just so hard to look at Charlotte without thinking of my mom and crying. What kind of father does not want to look at their own child?"

"Don't beat yourself up. We all know how hard it was to lose your mother. You just need to think about the bigger picture. Eventually, it will hurt less and less, but do you want your daughter growing up thinking you resent her for being born the day before her grandmother died?"

"No, you are right I need to be bonding with her. It is not her fault that Mom is gone."

"Honey, where are you?" Spinner called out when he got home.

"I am in here giving Charlotte a bath."

"I'll help. What do you need me to do?"

"Hand me that towel over there."

Later that night Spinner and Emma were sitting o the couch after finally getting Charlotte to sleep. It had been the first time in weeks, really months, since they had been able to sit down and just hold each other in silence. Emma finally felt like she was getting her husband back.

"I am so sorry about these last few weeks. I have not been a good husband or father. You and Charlotte deserve more than I gave, and that is going to change starting right now," Spinner said as he stroked Emma's shoulder.

"Spin, I know it has been difficult for you. I miss your mom, too. We will get through this as a family; I just need to know you are going to be there for us."

"You have my promise. You and Charlotte are my world now. I don't want to lose you over my stupid behavior."

"You did not have to worry about me leaving you. I knew all you need was time to process. Trust me, the memory of Irene will always be alive and well in this household. Charlotte is going to know how much her grandmother loved her."

"Thank you for being so understanding. I don't know what I did to deserve someone like you."